NAMM News
By Esha Krishnamoorthy
The NAMM Show ’ s Grand Return Is Almost Here
With the blooming of flowers and the sun shining in the sky for longer hours , spring has come to Southern California . Life seems to be slowly returning to normalcy with the gradual easing of mask mandates , live events happening in full force , and people gathering with their communities once again .
During the first week of March , the Natural Products Expo West made its successful in-person return to the Anaheim Convention Center , signifying the largest business-to-business trade show to take place in the United States in over two years . This big milestone for the events industry marks the turning of the tides , making us at NAMM even more excited to gather our international music , sound , and live events community at The 2022 NAMM Show this June .
View the Official NAMM Show Map On March 23 rd , the initial NAMM Show Map was released , giving exhibitors and attendees an idea of who ’ s coming to the show , where brands will be placed , and some of the new features of the NAMM Campus . We are excited to welcome over 3,500 participating brands to the show , including C . F . Martin & Co ., Yamaha , Shure , Pioneer DJ , Hal Leonard , Remo , On-Stage , and many more . Review the map at NAMM22 . mapyourshow . com .
Access Game-Changing Education Across a Variety of Tracks The NAMM Show is known for its captivating educational offerings and this year ’ s lineup is shaping up to be one of our best . Along with the return of treasured events like Breakfast of Champions and Best in Show , NAMM U will be presenting more than 200 professional education sessions in topics across music retail , pro audio , live sound , entertainment technology , technical training , and improving non-profit practices .
At the show , a variety of education sessions will be offered by partnering organizations across the industries . Pro audio professionals will be able to access groundbreaking sessions presented by AES , A3E , TEC Tracks , and Pensado ’ s Place . Live event and entertainment technology professionals will have a variety of offerings to choose from , including sessions curated by ESTA , Pro Production Sessions , and Event Safety Alliance .
The NAMM Foundation will also be presenting a series of education sessions across their programs for college students , music educators , and people working in the non-profit sector . Available educational tracks will revolve around GenNext , Music Education Days , and the Nonprofit Management Institute .
The Grand Rally for Music Education On Saturday , June 4 th , the Grand Rally for Music Education will return to The NAMM Show , bringing together music educators and industry professionals to appreciate and celebrate music education . Taking place at 10 a . m . PT in Ballroom B of the Anaheim Convention Center , the celebration will feature Eric Whitacre , composer and founder of the Virtual Choir . Attend the Grand Rally to witness a memorable hybrid choral performance along with music from Gateways Brass Collective .
The 37 th Annual NAMM TEC Awards Return On Saturday , June 4 th , the pro audio community will reunite once again to celebrate and honour the innovative products , individuals , and companies involved in sound recordings , films , broadcast television , and video games . The winners of the 21 Technical Achievement , six Creative Achievement , and one Studio categories will be announced at the celebration , along with the winner of the iconic Les Paul Innovation Award .
Comedian & Musician Jammin ’ Jay Lamont to Host the Parnelli Awards Join the live event community as they celebrate the accomplishments of the industry ’ s professionals , products , and services . The awards will be hosted by talented comedian and musician Jammin ’ Jay Lamont , who has worked with entertainment icons including Luther Vandross , Anita Baker , and Jamie Foxx . During the ceremony , pre-selected honourees David Bernstein , Peter Morse , and Sam Berkow will receive the Parnelli Lifetime Achievement award , the Parnelli Visionary award , and the Audio Innovator award , respectively .
Concerts , Activations & More Return to NAMM ’ s Outdoor Spaces We are looking forward to taking advantage of the beautiful Southern California summer days to create incredible experiences within the outside locations of the NAMM Campus . The Yamaha Grand Plaza stage will house the Night of Worship and Concert , while participating brands will present unique and engaging activations across the convention centre ’ s outdoor plazas . And let ’ s not
forget the food trucks that will be parked outside and ready to serve refreshments !
NAMM Show + While we hope to see as many members of our international community as possible in-person at the show , we understand that ongoing travel restrictions might prevent individuals from making the journey to Southern California . To provide those unable to attend in-person an opportunity to participate in the show , we are excited to introduce NAMM Show +, a digital platform serving as a window into The NAMM Show . The platform , powered by Swapcard , will give both in-person and virtual digital access to select professional development sessions , award shows , events , and networking opportunities .
We Can ’ t Wait to See You As the weeks pass and we get closer to June , our excitement grows as we think about reuniting our global community after two long years . With the return of much-loved NAMM traditions , along with the introduction of all-new experiences , The 2022 NAMM Show is shaping up to be an unforgettable event . Register to attend now and be a part of history in the making , only at The NAMM Show this June .
Esha Krishnamoorthy is the Marketing Coordinator for the National Association of Music Merchants ( NAMM ), the global not-for-profit trade association representing 9,000 manufacturers and retailers of musical instruments and sound products . NAMM ’ s mission is to strengthen the music products industry and promote the pleasures and benefits of making music .
PHOTO : GETTY IMAGES FOR NAMM
16 CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE